Champion of Twilight
by JESUSSAYSNO
Summary: In Hyrule, most manfolk know magic out of necessity. Dangerous creatures and dark horrors stalk the land. In a single day, Link, a simple farmhand, is stricken with a dark curse, is captured, meets the princess, and escapes inprisonment. In a flurry of emotions and brutal mistakes, Link is bound to the will of Midna, a princess who's life is slipping away to a userper's curse.
1. Prison

Hello everybody, it's your favorite inconsistent writer coming at you for another attempt at writing something decent.

In this one, Link doesn't have the Triforce of Courage, but is cursed with dark magics of origins unknown. Another character will have the Triforce and will be a major player in events to come. I won't give a whole lot of information on him right now, but while he holds a large role in the story, he won't be a main character. I might make a side story dedicated to the Triforce bearer in the future depending on how this goes.

* * *

The Prophecy of Two Heroes says that when evil spreads across the land, two champions will rise, one in blood, the other in righteousness. One will follow the path of Freedom, the other Justice. As evil falls, as does a hero. The two will finally clash, one surviving, one to parish.

* * *

Throbbing. It was everywhere. In my head, my muscles, it was consuming me. And it felt wrong. Like the sickening feeling in the middle of your gut when you know something horrible had happened. I wanted it to stop. It was invading, like the irrational idea of having every last secret and precious thing slowly peeled away from me, leaving a defiled feeling in its wake.

And in waves, it started to subside, the profane and disgusting feeling congealing at the ends of my limbs, threading it's way through my veins. I couldn't move. I would, I wanted to. But I couldn't. It gripped me, gagged me, retrained me to it's violations. The invisible mass of darkness, I realized with a primal fright, wasn't leaving through my fingertips, it was solidifying inside of me, not just in my limbs, but my entire body. It was positively disgusting, and I wanted it out.

Fingertips moved. But it was wrong. Darkness clung to every movement, twisting inside me, clinging to sinew and bone. It was inside of me. And it was there to stay.

I couldn't struggle, and the throbbing sped up. Limbs were consumed, scalp tingled, my eyes ached.

After ages, the throbbing stopped. The swirling stopped. It was cold. Very cold. Inside and outside of my body, filled with vial taint. Internally, I felt icy. Never had I been so cold, it was unnerving that I wasn't quivering and shaking. Outside, the feeling of rough stone brushed against my cheek and limbs.

I wasn't sure if I should be more unnerved by how absolutely awful I felt, or what I saw when I opened my eyes. I was simply unnerved by everything. Senses going insane, all coming back to life after being dormant for so long.

The rancid scent of shit hit my nose like a hammer.

White light assaulted my vision.

Bile rose to my mouth, burning bitter as it came. It was too much. My body wouldn't listen to my pleas.

Heave after heave wracked my form, expelling everything from my stomach onto the stone floor.

I avoided the mess of partially digested food and bile with my eyes and started breathing through my mouth. I could still taste the scents, but it wasn't nearly as bad.

Everything was too bright. It was dark, stone walls surrounded me on three sides, and metal bars on the last side. It was a cell, and I was stuck in it. There was no light source, but it was still too bright.

Panic rose, and I wracked my memory for answers. Falling through a barrier, no being pulled through, then a flood of darkness. That was it. Ilia was in danger, and I stupidly rushed in.

A single chain bound me to the ground by the ankle, spikes digging into my flesh from the shackle. I hadn't even noticed it, but was drawing blood. The icy feeling of whatever sick darkness clung to the area closely.

The iron shackle needed to go if I wanted to get out. And it did. The black blood slowly oozing from the wound seemed to be dissolving the iron. It started bubbling, and surprise caused me to jerk back. The decaying spikes dug deeper into the unfeeling wound, pouring more of the sick imitation of blood onto itself. It eroded even faster, and when I was sure there would be no resistance, I wrapped my hands around the iron and pulled. It snapped with little resistance.

Looking down at the wound, I was shocked to see the black blood crawl back into the abscess, drop by drop, before they sealed themselves It was simply unnatural. Any on my hands seeped back in through my palms with nothing but a light tingle.

What is this? Why is this happening?

Staggering to my feet, I moved to the bars. Each step seemed to push the solidified darkness around in my feet, every last bit of tissue was saturated in it, and I could feel it all.

A deep snarl erupted from somewhere outside the cell, and my body jerked, the darkness along with it, sending another wave of nausea through me.

Chains shook, metallic clanging echoing, a chained beast?

A small figure floated the cell door, feet above the floor. It was small, almost inhuman, with a large protruding headpiece. I held still. What is it? A jailer?

It passed, letting out a giggle. It was almost childish, but it echoed in on itself. The blackness inside of me seemed to form needles inside of me at her approach. Every last nerve was on edge.

The beast growled, and the creature started speaking to it.

"Growling at little old me?" The creature's voice was feminine, to an extent. It echoed to a lesser extent than her laugh, but it was unnerving regardless. "That's no way to treat your ticket out," Smugness radiated from her tone. "Humans, so predictable, but wait, you're not a human anymore,"

I gripped the bars of the cell. What was she doing here? An imp, magical. Where is here? Why is it talking to some beast?

The blackness pulled back for a moment, before throbbing. It jarred my thoughts, sending my head swimming. My weight fell upon the bars of the door with a clang.

"My my, what's this?" The tone snarked. It was directly in front of me. The darkness called forward to the creature, it wanted the little imp.

"What are you?" It wasn't my voice. My voice didn't echo in on itself ever so slightly like the sound I made did. There was no time to question though.

"I am merely me, but the real question here," she floated forwards, and I backed off. There was a buzz in the blackness inside of me, it was agitated, it didn't like what she was doing. The bars didn't hinder the imp, and she merely floated through the bars, skin rippling as if water. "Is what are you," A broad fanged smirk crossed her tiny face, the one revealed eye lidded in amusement.

"Hylian," I wasn't absolutely sure at this point, but it didn't matter. The darkness was on edge, and it didn't like the imp.

"Oh, is that so?" The fanged smirk broadened. She knew something I didn't. Answers were what I needed.

"You know something," It wasn't a question, it was a demand.

"By my blood, I can't seem to remember," The small creature yawned loudly, stretching widely, arms raised. She was vulnerable in that position. The darkness wanted answers. My vision saw red.

I moved, like lightning. Hands like talons looking for prey. Flesh caught for a moment, no, not even a moment, just a flash, before the resistance was gone.

She was back through the bars, four bleeding gashes on her shoulder. A dark liquid covered my hands. The darkness wanted it, and tried to push through the skin to obtain the liquid. Bringing my fingers to my face, I saw red tipped claws.

The last segment of each finger was elongated and sharp, the nail tapering to the point of a needle. Blood dripped from the claws.

I was shocked and confused. The darkness wanted the blood inside of it, to consume it, but the claws. They made me question my humanity. I raised a claw to my mouth and my tongue darted out to reach it. As a rule, blood shouldn't taste heavenly. But it did.

"Do you get it now?" The imp seethed, nursing the four gashes. "Stupid vampires," with a huff, the creature darted out of sight.

Vampire? Is that what I was doomed to be? A cursed follower of Demise, doomed to sleep in the earth by day, and rise to feast upon the innocent by night? No, it was impossible. I didn't believe it.

The imp started talking more to the beast, but I was lost to the world. The rest of the claws were licked clean and the darkness wanted more. I wanted more.

A crackling noise sent a shiver through my scalp. Magic. There was a showmage that visited Ordon often. Sparks, bouts of flame, smoke, lightning. The imp was using magic, but I couldn't just hear it, I could feel it. A chain, magic saturated a chain. And it pulled it apart with an echoing ring.

A bark was let loose. Was the beast a canine? A dog or wolf? Something bigger?

"Now, little vampire," Behind me. I turned and there she was, leaning against the wall. "I can use you as well," The canine was making a ruckus from it's portion of the dungeon.

"What?" Ungracefully, the words fell. The darkness still wanted her blood. Even more after tasting it. I was having trouble thinking. It wanted her. More than just wanted, it needed.

"How about this," The ever present shit eating grin stuck like glue. "I'll let you out, and you help me get what I want," My eyes narrowed. The darkness throbbed for blood.

"Why should I trust you?" The echo was there, the darkness twisting my words.

"Who's to say really. Now do you want to get out or not?" I did. But I wanted answers.

"Where am I?" To the imp, it must have been a joke, decayed she started giggling, a high pitched cackle.

"You'll have to see, little vampire," her tiny palms reached behind her head and she leaned back, lounging mid air.

She was infuriating, but the darkness wanted blood and I wanted out. "Fine, I'll owe you, get me out,"

Her grin split her tiny childish face. Magic built in her palms, black lighting with flashes of orange. The darkness hissed in the back of my mind. This creature was powerful. It's magic would tear the darkness apart.

Wrought iron bars flashed in a bout of magic, the black lightning chaining between them, making a box. The imp's features twisted in concentration and her magic spiked. The bars twisted and cracked where the magic contacted them, each one falling one by one, leaving just enough room for me to step through.

"Now don't eat me, you won't get anywhere without my help," The darkness wanted her blood, but it seemed to understand her power, I wouldn't attack her.

I turned my body to step through the bars, watching my step. The iron bars didn't catch on what was left of my clothing. It didn't escape me that each of my toes were talloned and clawlike.

My breath caught when I looked up to see a massive white wolf standing along with me in the cell block. It was the canine. The imp wanted it alive.

"Get along, you two, and I'll show you both the way out," The imp looked beyond smug.

My eyes were locked on the wolf's. Golden, almost glowing, but there were intelligent. Something pulsed in it, and I could feel it. A steady thumping, thick and deep. A heartbeat. But there was more, something that felt like fire, molten fire. It was centered around the beast's left paw, where a patch of discolored fur sat. Three triangles, stacked, one pouring out the burning energy.

The creature stood there, not hostile, but unnerving none the less. Too much was going on, and I was still left in the dark.

"What is this, imp?" The creature's grin widened even more.

"Well I can't just let one beast rot while another runs free,"

"I'm not a damn beast!" The darkness rose to anger as I did, pooling in my stomach, burning.

I was ignored, adding fuel to the fire. "And you two should get along, I'm your only hope out of here,"

I knew she was right, but that didn't mean I had to like it. "Fine, witch, where are we going?" Settling my anger for the time being, I looked around. Dark stone, and a doorway.

"No, not there, they're swarming out there," She snapped out. "There's another way up,"

I caught the word 'up'. Her destination was above us. "Where?" A tiny hand pointed to a small opening in the wall opposing the door. It was small. The wolf, who had started pacing quietly, would fit through, but I wouldn't. My shoulders wouldn't get through. "How am I supposed to fit through there?"

"I dunno, you're a vampire, become a beast,"

"How?" If I could become something else, I wanted to know it. If I was escaping a prison sentence, I would be fighting against whatever captured me. The potential for any trick or power was intoxicating.

"I'm not a vampire, I wouldn't know. Maybe... Try thinking of the form you want, and work your mana," Mana, the lifeblood of magic. An internal force that some held that allowed amazing feats, from creating sparks to ending thousands of lives in a snap. "Yours is black, I can feel it,"

The darkness. Is it my mana? I thought about the wolf, and experimentally tugged on the darkness. It tugged back, and I fell forward. My vision blackened. The darkness ripped into my flesh, warping it, leaving cold tingles.

My eyes opened and I was on four legs. Sleek, short pitch black fur covered muscular canine legs. Paws with wicked black claws, too long to be natural. A feral growl hit my ears. A vibration in my throat.

The noise came from me. I was a black canine. From what I could see, my muzzle was too blunt to be a wolf. Some kind of dog likely. At this point, it wasn't even a shock.

I tried to step forward, only to topple.

The imp's giggle snapped me out of it. I couldn't speak, with words at least. Another terrifying growl escaped my maw. "Looks like puppy needs to learn how to walk,"

I caught on quickly, and started taking steps forward. Timing and different muscles were all different. But the darkness helped, clinging to muscles that needed to be used.

I focused in on my human form and pulled again, and I was on two feet. The same contraction, ripping, and rearranging happened. This was new. A sort of accomplished feeling flooded through me, but it was overshadowed by the reality of it. I was something not normal. A vampire.

"Alright, teeth, you can get through now, let's go, we don't have all day, chop chop!" My thoughts were interrupted by the clapping accenting the last two words, and I gave the darkness another tug, shifting onto four feet.

The wolf pushed past me, long fur brushing against my shorter fur, leaving unnaturally warm tingles in it's wake.

I turned to the imp, to find her gone. Damned black magic. The golden wolf pushed into the small hole, and kept going. I followed behind, the beast's tail swatting my canine face often until I backed off. The small passage was tight, but it wasn't long, I could see the end from the start.

A scent hit me. Food. Warm, appetizing. It was surrounded by many less pleasant scents, but this one rose above them all. The darkness welled in my mouth, and pushed for the scent.

It was blood. A human maybe. And I wanted it. A growl escaped my maw, and I pushed forward, up against the other beast's legs. It snarled, but sped up, not enough room to turn around and snap at me.

It was out, paws and long fur dragging across the ground as I struggled to escape the small passage. Food.

A man sat leaning on his spear, the only thing keeping him upright. A guard. Royal. High quality armor, plate and chain, emblazoned with the Hylian crest. He was muttering to himself.

I pulled myself off of four legs, and trudged forward. He was food, his armor paper, his weapon nothing more than a stick.

A surge of magic came from behind me, and the imp started shouting. The wolf stayed steady. The guard turned, but I was already upon him.

The darkness led, and my hand shot out, long digits covering the human's plate helmet and pulling. A gobsmacked expression say upon the guard's face. He looked tired, dark bags under his eyes, wrinkles beyond his age. My other arm shot out to his neck, tearing down the chain and catching on a plate. Skin broke and the most wonderful scent hit the air. Darkness pooled in my mouth and teeth, lengthening, sharpening.

Panic gripped the guard, and he finally started to struggle. His spear dropped, and he raised his arm to push the offending force away. I hissed, bearing all of my teeth, a feral action. There was no self control.

The plate didn't come off, so I wrapped around to his back and grabbed, nails piercing the backplate and pulling. The straps couldn't hold, and they tore, ripping as they did so, leaving the man in his chain shirt.

A fist soared across my vision, and I saw dark, a numb feeling coming across my jaw, spreading from the right side of my face. Darkness surged, and I surged forward with it, teeth digging into the man's exposed neck. His flesh was like butter, no match for teeth sharpened by darkness. A scream was loosed, before I dug deeper, piercing something harder. It stopped.

Blood flooded my mouth. It was sweeter than anything I had ever tasted. Warm and full, heady and thick. My tongue darted out to the wounds, tasting raw flesh. It was delicious. Gulp after gulp flooded down my throat, creating a dizzying high as the darkness seemed to glow inside of me.

But as soon as the blood stopped, I could think again. Startled by my actions, I shoved the dead man aside. His flesh caught on my teeth, tearing a small chunk off. I bit down on instinct before spitting it out violently.

I turned to face the two creatures I was with. Strangely, the wolf looked aghast. The imp's head was turned down and a grim expressions at upon her face. On seeing me turn, her exposed amber eye looked up to meet mine. "He was innocent you know,"

Guilt hit me. "He would have starved or been hunted down on his own, but with help he could have made it out alive," I didn't have words. I just stared at the creature. The darkness thrummed happily inside of me, making me sick at the thought of it's pleasure. The imp's head raised, never breaking eye contact. "Don't let his death be in vain, take his armor and weapon,"

Numbly, I nodded. This was a sewer system. Abandoned by the looks of it. Nobody would find the body. And I had the feeling I couldn't drag him out.

Blood seemed to be almost absent, my mouth and the darkness sucking it all in before it could fall. The corpse was pale as a sheet, completely bloodless. The man was of a similar build as I was. Medium built, muscular from training and work. The breastplate and backplate were split apart, leather straps broken, but the rest of the armor was intact. And on a corpse.

In that moment, I wished I could turn to anything for support. But nothing came. The darkness thrummed in it's gorged state, and the two beings behind me held me accountable.

I tried not to look at the face as I began stripping the corpse. Armplates, gauntlets, chain shirt, plate belt, leg plates, and boots. Each piece taken from a still warm corpse.

With a heavy heart, I started placing each piece on my body. The sleeved chain shirt came over my head, the fine steel links clinking lightly as they fell over my bloodied white shirt. Then came the legplates, strapped over the tattered tan trousers that sat upon my legs. The belt rested on my hip bones, draping plates to cover the groin and upper legs.

The tugs of the straps jostled the darkness as I tightened them, and the heartbeats of my two silent watchers thundered in my ears. I could feel the disapproval rolling off of them without turning my head.

Lastly came the armplates, gloves, and boots. The gloves proved to show a problem, before solving itself quickly. Claws poked into the end of the fingers before the leather completely encase my hand. With a pull, my nails pierced the leather and stuck out, leaving a snug fit on the rest of my hand. I repeated the process on the other hand.

The boots didn't need to receive the same treatment, as the talons on my toes weren't long enough or hard enough to pierce the steel toes of the plate treads.

"Is there any way you can fix the breastplate?" The imp asked. A pang of annoyance shot through me. Insensitive.

"The straps are broken,"

Luckily, the sarcasm in the imp did not rear it's ugly head. I didn't need or want it now. "Tear strips from your pants to hold it together, they're useless now anyway. Until you can get actual straps, those will have to do,"

I sat against a stone wall and tore six strips from my left pant leg. "Could you fetch the chestpiece?" The wolf obliged, gripping the two plates in it's jaws and dragging them to my seated position.

Two of the bindings were intact, below the arms on the left side. There was still six more major points where the two plates needed to be tethered. Four on each side, two below the arms, two above. I sat forward, positioning the backplate and then sat back before swinging the chestplate forward.

The bonds were quickly tied and they held strong, the strips of thick fabric turning out to be a strong rope. Each motion nudged the darkness in my fingers, the fibers ran across it in a way I could not explain. The details and texture were projected through the darkness, far beyond what I could ever feel on my own. In that moment, I realized that the darkness wasn't something else, it was me.

"Get up and let's move, we don't have all day," I complied, numb and wanting to put this place behind me.

"Where are we going?" My voice was hollow and distant, made more so by the dark echo that seemed to come from all sounds. I cringed at the sound.

The imp floated forward. "Out. Follow the path, there's only one way up,"

I nodded.

The foul smells started returning as I refocused. The plate was light, but uncomfortable. Too tight, with each step making a reverberating clang.

The intense flavor of blood on my lips made focusing hard, but this place, it was completely saturated with something. It filled the air and stone, the foul waters. It was consuming and it interacted with each creature in our group differently. The wolf's fur burned it away and my darkness consumed it, but the imp had the strangest reaction. It had no reaction. The ambient energy flowed around the creature with no effect at all.

I didn't trust either the wolf or the imp. This darkness was unnerving to the extreme, but it was a part of me for the time being. It gave unknowable power that I needed to control.

As we walked along the sides of the passage, I drew on the darkness, remembering the black ichor that flowed from my body as I was wounded. Blood. It could survive outside of my body. I pushed it from inside my palm. Pressure built as the darkness flooded the area.

"Hey!" The imp shouted, breaking my focus. "Your kind's mana is bonded to your flesh and blood, if try to channel it without breaking the bond, you can only perform blood magic," her words sunk in. Manipulation of blood through mana. "Keep pouring all of your magic in your hand without a way out and it'll burst," I connected the dots quickly.

"Thank you, I didn't know,"

"Clearly. Don't do it again, I don't want you screaming in agony, we need to keep quiet here," the black and grey creature's expression and tone gave no room for argument.

I didn't grace her with a response and went back to practicing. I molded it in my veins with ease, it was soft and malleable under my control, but it was powerful, the shapes held if I created them.

A needle of blood formed in my left wrist, and with a flick of the darkness, it shot out of my arm, bringing a thread of ichor with it.

It froze, and I did too. It was solid and stiff, and with my last step, the thread tore through the skin of my arm and the gauntlet that kept it encased in metal. It didn't hurt. As if it was just being lightly pinched.

Most people might flinch or panic, but I was already numb. So I followed the logical choice and tore the gauntlet off the ruptured limb and tossed it aside. The sight was gruesome. Skin and flesh torn apart, split by the hard thread of black ichor floating in front of me. Black muscle fibres and tendons writhed and latched on to each other, pulling together again.

Physical pain, it seemed, didn't apply to my me anymore. Muted and dulled to the point where a near lethal laceration is nothing more than a light pinch.

I pushed the darkness from the wound, detaching the thread and balling it up in my palm. The black mass was easy to hold, small as a walnut but blacker than night. The darkness projected itself through the small nut sized ball, I could feel through it.

The two behind me stopped. The wolf might have smelled the ichor. "You injured yourself?" it was the imp.

"No, not badly," hearing my voice echo brought me back like a splash of cold water. I had killed a man for his blood and taken his possessions, I had no heartbeat, breathing was only habitual, and I was holding a ball of my own blood in my hands. I flinched, internally cringing at the enhanced feeling of the movement.

"Lets keep moving," There were a thousand more words I wish I could have said.

* * *

There were rats, hundreds and hundreds of rats. Chittering and screeching at the wolf and imp. But they never got close. I threw the ball of ichor at a few, and they scattered. They feared my magic. To be a predator was unnerving. Hylians and humans were never feared by animals, especially in these masses. It made me uncomfortable, I had always been welcomed by people and local animals. The reaction of these rats though, from lack of socialization or my new form, made my skin crawl.

After some time, our odd group came across a metal gate. No door, just a series of bars, floor to ceiling It stood blocking our path. "Damn it all!" The imp hissed, tone black with venom. "We need to get through here,"

A thought sprung into my head and I drew upon my mana again. A painless prick was felt in my wrist and ichor flowed free. I kept my hand steady as not to tear my skin with the hard and controlled flow. I severed the flow and the wound healed, blackness knitting together again. The floating stream joined with the ball, and I spread it all into a flat and sharp form, blunting a small portion of it. It was a crude blade, or that was the idea. I willed it to hold form and it fell with gravity, thumping on the ground.

If I could tear apart armor, I could shred this small barrier. With care, I picked up the double edged sword from the ground. It was light, composed entirely of black blood. It had taken a large amount to form it. I formed a basic cross guard and counterweight, shortening the blade. The end product was a thin saber like sword, the blade as long as a leg.

"That's a nice sword, but we need to get through here. What are you planning?" Over the short time I had interacted with the imp, it seemed like the only words she had spoken were anything but encouraging.

The blade twirled in my hand, perfectly balanced, a literal extension of myself. A swift stroke aimed high, enhanced by the darkness inside of me, cut a thin gap between the bars with ease. I shuddered, feeling every one give way before the darkness. Another swing sent low had the bars clattering down to the ground, piercing the silence and heartbeats.

"Come on, I want to get out of here," the imp huffed and floated through the hole. Her body was odd, a too large head sat upon a torso that couldn't fit her size, wide hips and breast development not seen in children. I relate her to a child due to her small size. It didn't look right.

Something was wrong with the picture. The darkness proved useful again, revealing her mana. A rich dark grey, swirled with a piercing blue green and oranges. It looked delicious, powerful. But it was constricted tightly by a swirling gold film that ate away at the beautiful liquid mana, draining it dry. Hardly more than a few drops were able to stay. "You're cursed," I murmured aloud. Her mana drank the dark ambient energy in, but the film repelled it. It felt the same as the wolf's fur. "It's the same as the wolf's magic," If it wasn't for the minimal ambient mana, she would be drained completely by the golden film.

I didn't notice her turn as I stared beyond her skin. "Enough, " that single word was spoken so flatly and simply, but held hundreds of implications.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have looked," I didn't mean it, but white lies flowed from my mouth like wine from the tap. The village children expected a saint, and that's what I gave them. I didn't mind, I liked the children and people of Ordon, it was worth it.

The being's oversized head shook. "Lets just keep moving,"

With nothing else to say, I stepped through the gap in the bars. Beyond them was a circular room with a staircase leading up farther than I could see. The fog of black mana clouded my vision. It was in the winding sewers, but it was never this thick. It was both empowering and blinding. My saber drank it in, hardening it further. It sated my bloodthirst.

"We go up from here. We'll be outside soon," The imp murmured. The wolf charged ahead and up the stairs, panting as it ran. It must have been tired of taking the back. It stopped half way up. i climbed the steep stairs with ease, cursing as I saw what made the animal stop. The spiraling staircase was blown. A twelve foot gap filled with nothing but mana infused air sat between the two edges.

"How do we get past?"

"Jump. You need to get used to the power of your new body," it was snarky, but it made sense. The darkness was deeply coiled inside of my muscles, the idea that it could let me jump that far wasn't unrealistic. "You too wolf boy,"

Coiling down, I tensed my legs. The darkness twisted and stretched, filling my legs with power. Seeing my goal, I leapt, muscle and darkness expanding in a flash, sending my body flying. The ledge approached and then passed. My eyes widened and a taloned hand shot down, catching the jagged stone staircase, digging into it. Momentum, however, disagreed. pulling me forward and up, tearing through the ancient stone. My gloved hand stopped my ascent though, and I collapsed, unwinded, unwounded, and completely unharmed, save patches of torn skin and flesh, repairing themselves rapidly.

"And the vampire shows his true grace," The nameless imp taunted as I righted myself and checked0 myself over. My second gauntlet was ruined, leather and metal torn to shreds, and the chest and leg plates were scuffed and scratched. The darkness made my body more durable than steel. I was fast and powerful enough to reduce it to shreds by pushing myself.

"I need better armor," The silence killed me. My heart should be pounding and my lungs should be starving right now. Words filled the silence. As did a slight breeze. I sniffed. Fresh air. We were close to a way out.

The wolf, surprising me greatly, caught my attention by jumping nimbly over the gap, just landing on all four paws with little trouble. This was no normal beast. A normal wolf, no matter how strong, wouldn't be able to leap the gap. I had my doubts, but this just confirmed it. The markings of the sacred Triforce and intelligence it's golden eyes held made me suspicious from the start. If I was right, this beast could be somehow a chosen of the Three Goddesses.

"Don't stop now, we're almost out," This little creature's suggestion, I figured, was a better idea than musing on the gods and goddesses. Religion wasn't part of my everyday life, but I always believed in something more. The gods manifested themselves in many ways, even if they don't affect day to day life. I must have gotten in the way of their grand design, cursed to live in the darkness.

"I smell fresh air, just up ahead," I murmured. The wolf bounded ahead, the pads of its feet making little sound against the hard stone.

The tower circled higher and higher until it opened up into a massive and musty room full of ancient and rusted arms and armor. Cobwebs lined the racks, some spilled across the floor. remains of rotting bedrolls lied across one side of the room. It was a long abandoned barracks. Off to one side was a practically destroyed door, waterlogged and rotting, standing only by some grace of the gods.

It was raining outside. Hard. More of a storm, accompanied by periodic lightning strikes and the echo of thunder. But it didn't feel cold. It should, but it didn't. Undeath must have solved that issue. I grimaced.

The others looked around, and the wolf wandered off to sniff at a weapons rack. "Rest for a few minutes if you need to, but lets get moving, there isn't far to go from here," her expression was tired. As if this endeavor was more work than she thought it would be. She turned off to examine fallen armor, an almost vacant look in her visible eye.

Standing didn't cause any pain or cramps anymore. I moved to a dry corner and leaned against a dry spot, closing everything else out. I was a criminal of unknown crimes, the murderer of a Hylian soldier, and was filled with a darkness that would leave me ridiculed and hated by any follower of the Three Golden Goddesses. What am I going to do?

My breathing started again and became rough. A panic attack was coming on, I could tell. A million thoughts of varying significance poured into my head at a dizzying pace. Ilia, where was she? She needs my help. Rusl, what about his tasks? He was getting older and needed help, and I can't provide it anymore. Ordon, I could never return. I could never touch a blessed spring again. I had no home. And that last thought tore me to pieces.

My eyes dilated and I let everything take it's course for a few minutes. Thoughts repeated countless times before I shut them down one by one with a single answer. Move forward. If I don't have a home, I'll make one. I'll save Ilia and leave her back at the village. I need to find out what's happening and survive.

Sighing, I pushed forward. Information is what I needed desperately if I wanted to survive. The imp had answers. Each step held purpose now. I had a goal in sight and I would achieve it. "Imp, we need to talk,"

The creature turned. "What's there to say?"

"I want to apologize for attacking you earlier," I paused, watching her closely for her response.

She looked down to the shallow scabbed over gashes on her stomach and back to me. "It's fine. What's done is done, control yourself in the future,"

"What about the future?" I pursued. "What do want in return for the jailbreak? I cannot return home, it would put myself and my friends at risk. If you need assistance with any task, I'll gladly give it," Each word was measured carefully as to show as little emotion as possible.

A red eyebrow raised. "And here I thought I would have to convince you to help me,"

"Well I don't need convincing. Tell me what you want." I knew I was taking a massive risk in giving myself away like this.

"There are three shards of twilit magic that I need. I heard they were all hidden by the four Spirits of Light ,"

"You might be searching for a while, the spirits are folk tales,"

"Well we'll be looking for a while then, won't we?"

"Yeah, suppose we will." A thought struck me. "What about the wolf?"

She shrugged. "He can help if he wants, I won't hold him," A sigh flowed through the cursed being's lips. "We'd best be moving," Her voice picked up, addressing both myself and the wolf over the din of the rain.

The soggy door was jammed. "Push it down, it'll lead to the rooftops. You'll know where we are when you do," I braced myself and kicked the door down with the flat of my boot. Cold wind and rain flew into my face.

This storm was powerful, hurricane winds and monsoon rain creating a thick fog. Golden skies sat between the thick storm clouds, sending dim light down from the heavens. But what sat within the fog and golden light made my breath catch. I stepped forward, onto cold wet stone of the castle'd battlements. There sat the tall spires of the capital; Hyrule Castle.

"Hyrule Castle in all its glory," The imp's flat voice was blunted by the storm. "We need to move forward, somebody is waiting for us," A small finger pointed in the direction of a shorter spire.

* * *

Next Chapter: Zelda

* * *

How do you like it so far? Comments and reviews are appreciated.


	2. Zelda

The storm raged on, drenching me through my armor. Twilight soaked the castle in a dull golden light, leaving nothing but grey and gold shades. It was breathtaking. But it was off. No guards stood watch, aside from the crows and small black birds of carrion that circled above.

This wing of the castle, it seemed, was abandoned. Rough stones left to crumble, with no exit aside from the one we went through. The path led a ways, then dropped sharply. "There's somebody we need to meet, that way," The creature pointed along the worn and unkempt path. The sound of the wolf's claws clicking were muted by the harsh storm.

We moved quickly across the rooftop, reaching the end quickly. It seems this wing was under construction, as loose scaffolding was all around. The spire the imp pointed to was across the gap. It was much longer than the gap in the spiraling staircase, but it wasn't at an incline. I could jump it easily. The wolf however, probably couldn't.

With a running leap, I launched from the edge of the rampart, calculating my landing as I flew. I had to make the flat part of the roof of a slanted building. My dead heart lurched as my boots impacted and slid across the slick tiled roof. I thought fast and fell forward to dig a claw into the roof. my shoulder jerked as I stopped from my sliding, grime and water covering my hand and already scratched chestplate.

I turned my head over my shoulder to see the wolf hopping between structures of scaffolding at a rapid pace, making it's way to my position on the slanted roof quickly. It was an incredible sight to see. It moved with enough feral grace and power to land and launch itself on the smallest of surfaces

The storm lightened a bit as we crossed the roof slowly, but not enough to make the trip across the slick rooftop faster. Each step had to be carefully measured, else I would slip and potentially fall to what might be my doom. Visibility improved and I could see down into the capital city. It was bathed in the same golden grey half light that the castle was.

"This twilight doesn't seem natural at all," I muttered to myself after almost losing my footing, not expecting an answer.

"But isn't wonderful?" The imp cheekily responded.

It was really. The few beams of muted light that touched my skin felt like ecstasy. It made the darkness hum in pleasure, it's ever present thirst muted under the rays of dim light. "It feels nice," I admitted.

A large window was our way into the spire. But it was closed. Muscles and mana coiled again, sending my form high enough to catch the rough stone edge of the alcove the thin glass barrier sat in with one arm. "Do we need to be subtle? The window is bolted shut", I called down to the imp, who was now lazing across the soaked fur of the golden beast.

"Go ahead and break it, but at least try to be subtle. It might be calm out here, but there's an army of beasts who would wear your finger bones as fine jewelry in there,"

My brows creased, she mentioned avoiding the castle proper in the dungeon, but never anything about demons. If this dark twilight was my territory, it would naturally be home to other creatures of darkness, wouldn't it? But this was Hyrule Castle, how could it fall? Was I even imprisoned under Hylian authority? I shook my head free of thoughts and pulled myself into the alcove.

The frame was metal and bolted into the stone. If i could pull the frame out, I would make the least noise. My talons dug into the stone next to the frame. I would need to grip the frame and pull. Fingers dug easily through the stone until I grasped the far end of the frame with the slightly curved tips of my claws. I grinned and pulled. The frame made an earsplitting screech against the stone. My smirk dropped and I quickly released the frame, cursing inside my head. Too loud. They, whoever they were, would hear. Breaking it in would have been faster and quieter.

Was anyone coming? Panic still gripped me, ears honing in on every small sound. I ignored the pitter patter of rain and the two heartbeats behind me. Thump thump. Thump thump. A single heartbeat. At the top of the tower. Golden mana blazed blinding from the lone figure figure, so bright I could see it without trying. I averted my eyes down. They widened in shock. Below us was another powerful mana, a dark dark purple with flashes of gold crackling through it like lightning.

It was powerful enough to see through hundreds of feet of stone, but it was nowhere close to the tower. We were safe for the time being. I shook my thoughts away and replaced my claws along the frame. With a stronger jerk, the window came free. The sound wasn't as loud the second time, but without the worry of getting caught. Warm and sweet air flooded out as the window was removed. Maneuvering in the alcove, I pulled the window out. "Can you lower the window down without breaking it?" I asked, holding said piece of glass and metal awkwardly.

"Just set to the side," Her voice was right in my ear, hot breath on my ear. I jumped in place, nearly dropping the glass and metal. With a sigh, I pushed the metal frame against the far edge of the alcove, just enough to keep it upright and allow access into the warm hallway.

Landing on the steps, I waited for the others while enjoying the heat of the enclosure.

At the top of the spiraling staircase stood a large metal door, opened just wide enough for the wolf to slink in. I pulled it open and followed, the imp had disappeared but was surely with us.

The room at the top of the tower was extravagant, quarters fit for a noble. A large four post bed, luxurious furniture, a crackling hearth, and large glass windows. And a woman in a black cloak, her aura a blinding gold. Eyes watering, I was forced to turn away.

It was like a sensory overload, and for a moment, I panicked before shutting it down. It was nothing more than light. I was lying to myself, I was terrified. And despite my mind set on moving forward, there was a primal fear deep in my head that left the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

"Two, Midna?" The cloaked figure questioned. Her voice was icy and tired, as if she hadn't slept for days.

Midna? The Imp! With a pang, I realized I never bothered asking her name.

"Well one of them talks, and I enjoy the company, as depressing as he may be,"

"You said there was only one could use," The cloaked figure did not seem happy that there was two creatures with the imp. One of us wasn't supposed to be here, and I had a sinking suspicion that it was me.

"I changed my mind," Midna challenged.

"Fine, but I do not approve,"

"It'll be fine, oh Princess of Twilight, I'll keep them in check," The title caught my attention.

The woman turned, cloak raising from the floor slightly. Her face was shown. Sharp cheekbones below narrowed blue eyes, a small, tautly drawn mouth, and mild, but strong jaw. She was gorgeous. Not in a comfortable or relatable way, but in a way that would send shivers down one's spine. She screamed domination and power. And if I was right, I knew exactly who she was.

I caught myself rolling my shoulders back and widening my stance, gums tingling. This enchantress was dangerous. I didn't like it. No more thought delving would help me analyze the situation, and I realized this quickly, the feeling of a mental brickwall coming on. The imp and the Twilit Princess continued conversing, with or without my attention.

"Why save a vampire, Midna?" The Princess questioned.

"Why was there a vampire in the deepest reaches of the Hyrule's Black Hall?"

The princess's face betrayed no emotion, eyes slowly flicking between myself and Midna. "I do not know, nor do I approve of your choice," Her words were icy, although they didn't affect me. I was free, for all intents and purposes, her fancy approval didn't matter. I didn't like this princess.

"You're Zelda, aren't you?" I asked, voice twisting in the shadows. I had to have answers. Her focus shifted to me.

"I am, vampire," I was unsurprised by her revelation. "Can you explain to us why you were in the Black Hall?" Her question derailed my thoughts.

"I don't remember, there was a black wall covered in gold runes, blocking the road. I passed through it and collapsed, I don't remember anything after that. And I wasn't like this," I gestured to my body. "When I walked through

Zelda turned back to the imp. "Dispose of the vampire, I don't care how, he is not part of our arrangement," My guts twisted.

Midna's visible eye narrowed. "We're at odds here. I fail to see how he can't be of use, Zelda,"

"Irelivent. A vampire could never hope to meddle in a conflict of this level without massive consequences," So I was weak?

"And what might this conflict be, princess?" I questioned, an edge to my voice.

"Do not trouble yourself with things you can't hope to comprehend, beast," She snapped, eyes flaring, before turning back to Midna, leaving me fuming with controlled rage. "Demise's curse is coming to another cycle, outside interference could ruin our chance of victory,"

Midna's eye widened briefly. "Fine. Allow me a question, highness?" Zelda nodded slowly. "How many previous cycle's have passed?"

An arched brow raised. "Why do you care to know?"

Midna shrugged. "I'm curious, that's all," It was a lie. I could tell, Zelda could tell, even the very quiet wolf could tell.

"You know something more than you're telling me," Zelda called the lie. "But this is the fourth,"

Midna shifted her amber eye to me. "Then my business is done with you, Zelda, I'll take my vampire and leave, I trust you and your new companion will get along wonderfully," She motioned to the wolf, whose snout was bowed before the princess.

"Very well. The guard is coming, you should leave quickly,"Her voice was final and absolute.

"Come, lets leave," I nodded.

With a few short strides, I was out of the chamber, ready to hop over to the window left open. A door cracked open, rusty hinges creaking. My heart leapt, and then I did as well, right through the open window. Without turning back, I continued back along the roof. The rain was back apparently as well.

Popping out of nowhere, Midna appeared. "We're leaving. Where are you from? we need to make preparations,"

"Ordon, but I'm not sure how welcomed I'll be now," The imp scoffed.

"Have some faith, the world isn't completely against you," I didn't believe it for a second.

"Fine," I dismissed the subject. "How will we get away from the castle?"

A grin split the creature's face. "You'll see," A thought crossed her mind and face and her smile dropped a tad, but still shined. "But first, let us formally introduce ourselves. I am Midna, wanderer and rebel," It was vague, but fitting.

"Rebeling against what exactly?"

"The King of Twilight, he usurped my land's throne and is the one invading yours. He could be responsible for your…" She paused, but I knew what she was going to say. "Change,"

"Thank you," I nodded. "Seems we have a common enemy,"

"We might, but lets not worry about that at the moment," She glanced to the sky and blinked as a large droplet smacked against her headpiece. It was raining again. "Tell me a bit about yourself and we'll be on our way,"

"My name is Link. I'm a goat herder and apprentice bladesman," I wondered if I should say more, but nothing seemed to be needed.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Link," She bowed in mid air. "I think we'll get along quite well. But lets get out of here," With a flick of her right hand, she sent a bolt of magic at me. My eyes widened as I started dissolving into black squares. I gritted my teeth. Everything went numb. The imp's face was laughing. Then I couldn't even see that.

Flashes of black, purple, and gold flew around me as I flailed and reformed, trying to grasp anything. Then I started dissolving again.

Burning liquid covered my booted feet, the skin itched and stung. It started at the bottom of my feet, and climbed up past my toes and up to my ankles. After a few moments, I was whole again and I opened my eyes, looking at me feet. Water and white sand, evening sun beating down hard on it. This was the sacred Ordon spring.

My eyes widened, the darkness was creeping out of my legs, leaving them feeling weak and powerless. My knees fell out, and I pushed my hands out to break my fall. Upon contact with the water, they burned, darkness retreating, climbing up my limbs.

"What's happening?" I groaned, before my arms collapsed. My body crashed into the ankle deep water. It seared and burned before it abruptly ended.

Thump thump. My lungs burned. Thump thump. Pulling my mouth above the water, I gasped, starved for oxygen. I was alive!

I couldn't feel the darkness anymore. A rough chuckle escaped my lips as I searched for it, enjoying every breath. Where an inky blackness sat deep inside myself, a fire now roared. After having a taste of my mana in such a concentrated form, this fire almost seemed like another form of it. I would experiment later.

I propped myself up on one knee. On my attempt to rise, I fell back down, chainmail clattering against plate. After such a small number of waking hours, I was so used to using the darkness to move that I couldn't rely on the strength of my body?

After what felt like a godly effort, I stood.

The imp watched from a few feet away, floating above the holy waters. "Vampire's are said to loose power in holy places, but I didn't think the stories meant it so literally," She said.

"What do you mean?" The lack of unholy energy circulating in my body was like a breath of fresh air to a drowning man. I was perfectly happy without it and it showed. Warmpth radiated through my chest, warming my once dead flesh and circulating fresh blood once more.

"I mean, you've lost anything that would make you a vampire. You're a normal elf now," Midna frowned.

"How is that bad?" I shot back at her. How could she see this as a bad thing?

"Don't snap at me," she shot back. Rage boiled under my skin. "While it might not be fun for you to be bloodthirsty, you'll need the power it gives you for what's ahead,"

Then it crashed down around me as I remembered my predicament. I was in a life debt to this imp. Rage simmered down into frustration. "Just how dangerous will this be?"

She shifted in the air. "Very. I couldn't honestly tell you if we'll mark it out alive. You seem to be a natural at blood magic and tracking, and that will help us by a huge amount,"

An arched brow indicated i wanted more information. I could understand the blood magic, it wasn't simple, trial, error, and analyzation cracked the code. Tracking though?

Catching my glance, she elaborated. "Vampires can sometimes catch on to the essence of another. I don't know how, but your ability to detect my," her gaze wandered as she searched for the right word. "Curse," the word was spat out. It was a sore subject. "Leads me to believe that you have a knack for it,"

"It's visual, the darkness lets me look at the world through different eyes. Zelda burned gold, brighter than the sun. So did the wolf," I explained, to try and give my perspective. A grim thought came to my head. Midna was dying. I remembered the curse. Though I couldn't see it now, I remembered it in vivid detail, distorting and draining her essence.

She made smalltalk about the journey we would embark on, as if trying to sell the idea that it might not be so bad, but I was torn between the grim thoughts in my head and the pleasant warmth slowly returning to my limbs and didn't fully listen to all of it, answering in one sentence answers. I needed to tell her about the curse, it wasn't fair not to. Only a truly depraved individual would cast such a curse on somebody, and it would be a horrible thing to do to let.

She caught on to my mental blockade and stopped after a short time. "Lets get prepared, pack what you need and say your goodbyes,"

I nodded and started walking from the center of the spring. The reaquired plate and chain was far heavier without dead man's strength, and being bogged down by water didn't help it at all.

By the time we left the large, but shallow lake, the sun was starting to hide behind the trees. The north wind was drawing rain clouds down from Snowpeak as well. A biting wind tore through the lush valley that lead to Ordon, chilling my wet form as we began our march.

It was a two mile jaunt from the spring to the village. Not far, but long enough for the sun to dip behind the horizon, lighting up the sky with wondrous shades of purple and gold.

A feeling of dread built within my gut as we walked in silence. My vision was sharpening, the textures of bark, dirt, stone, and foliage coming into focus with more vibrancy than I had ever seen. I turned to Midna, who had been floating behind me. "Do I still look human?"

She shook her head. "Your eyes are reflective, like a cats," The feeling of having a brick in my gut intensified. "I doubted you'd stay in a human form for long, and with the beasts about, you can't afford to be human,"

I turned and kept walking. Gather my things, then leave. The stress ate at my brain, and with each step I took away from the spring, I could feel the darkness creeping back into my flesh.

Midna caught my attention with a pat to the shoulder. "Stop moping. I need you in tip top shape!" Her snarky cheer didn't do much. I turned back to the road. "Hey! Don't ignore me!"

I sighed, irritated. I needed time to think, or to vent. She wouldn't allow either. "I need time to think, please," I tried to make the words sound soft, but they came out harsh.

"What makes this so hard to understand for you?" She pointedly inquired.

That set me off. "I don't know if my best friend is dead or alive, I'm a walking corpse, I just broke out of prison, and I can't be around the people I love anymore!" I inhaled, to find that it didn't give me any relief. "I understand that I can't be weak, but you need to understand that this is hard for me,"

Rage gave way just as my heart did. Tears prickled at my eyes, and with great anger I turned back without waiting for a response and started walking again, unwilling to let the creature see my face. The warmth slowly drained from my body.

"Link," I paused. "You aren't as different out here as you were in the thick of the twilight. It warps us all. You haven't become a beast, you've just changed," It sounded like as close to an apology as I was going to get.

"Just give me time, please," It wasn't so much a plea, as a flat request. I'd shut down emotionally.

"Fine," I heard.

I focused on the steady thunk of my heavy boots, mindlessly moving over obstacles as the wildlife grew louder and louder.

This path wasn't the main path into ordon, but a side trail. It was secluded and inaccessible by horses due to the small, but fast and deep, river we were about to come upon. Ilia and myself had made crossing it possible, but as I came upon the steep drop that was the bank, I realized I wouldn't need the rope swing anymore.

Glancing up at the tallest tree that hung over the river, I spotted the rope. Still strong, despite it's age.

Tearing my eyes away from it, with a backward glance, my body coiled, and I leaped. The river was only 10 feet wide, crossed in a single bound easily. As much as I loathed to admit it, Midna was right. The far reaches of Hyrule was a dangerous place. Being as physically able as possible would be a boon.

The rush of wind felt refreshing, and I found myself mesmerized at the sight of the leaves as the arc of my jump descended. Veins, stems, and fibres, all in amazing detail laid before me. I landed flat on my feet on the opposing bank, the soft soil giving slightly beneath my boots.

Ordon Village was close. The imp hadn't muttered a word, and for that, I was thankful. She was just as much of a victim as I was, in the grand scheme of things. I assumed at least, judging by the constricting golden film surrounding her essence. It wasn't her fault that all this happened. Regret for mychildish actions panged in my gut.

The past 6 hours had been surreal. I'm not sure if I accepted it yet, but I was going to try and make peace with my current state and what I had to do. Maybe I could stand to live as a vampire. The blackness wasn't overpowering and uncomfortable anymore, seaming to have settled down. As long as my thirst didn't come back at the worst of times, I would be fine.

This would all work out. I'd be fine. That's what I told myself.

* * *

This is turning out to be an interesting character experiment. Link's in a very volatile state at this point in the story. He's not secure, and he's in way over his head. Midna's at a loss. Zelda is hyperfocused on Demise's cycle.

* * *

Next: Into the Breach


	3. Ordon pt1 A Grim Fate

By the time we arrived at the village outskirts, night had fallen fully. The vibrancy in colors diminished, leaving a dull grey behind.

My anger had subsided leaving a grim acceptance of the events that had transpired. Any emotions I felt were muted, like a thick blanket covering them all.

The overgrown trail finally gave into the village proper. Between a few of the houses in the northwest quadrant of the village.

Ordon was a neat little farming village locked in by mountains on the south, east, and west. To the north was Faron Woods, a thick darkwood forest. Compared to the cold darkwoods, Ordon was mild year round.

It was divided into four sections, based on the geography of the land it sat on. The Faron river system split the village from north to south before leading into a winding system of tunnels beneath Mount Crenel, the tallest and southernmost mountain surrounding the valley. Ordon was also split by a sharp, but small cliff running from east to west. To the north was the start of Faron woods, to the south was a natural breadbasket.

Gravel crunched beneath my feet. Smells assailed my nostrils. Fires lit up the nearby houses, sending rich darkwood smoke through the air. The wood from the darkwood trees was resilient and full of flammable sap. One log would last a full night. The aroma of cooking food was pungent in the air, primarily game hunted in the nearby woods. It smelled delicious, full and heavy, but it didn't make my mouth water, I realized as my boots crunched along.

I inhaled deeply. Another scent, this one did my my mouth water and my stomach turn. Human. I shook my head, it was no time to be distracted. I wasn't hungry, I felt full. It was a similar feeling to eating your fill, but having more food laid out to be eaten. Tempting, but unwanted

"I'm going to disappear while we're in the village, but I'll be around," Midna's voice startled me, but I took a deep breath and nodded.

Rusl, I needed to speak with him, and him alone. He would have advice and could inform the rest of the village that I was gone.

His family home was on the northeast. The wood houses came and went as I quickly made my way across the village. A few people stared out their windows to view the battered hylian soldier.

I reached the north bridge before my body went on edge. A mist of black mana crept along the village. "What's happening?" I hissed at the imp.

"I don't know," Something between startled and curious laced her voice. "Maybe the same thing as what's going on in Hyrule,"

It made sense. I wracked my brain for thoughts. I needed to stop it. "Is there any way to stop it?"

"Neither of us have the power to, we need to keep moving,"

"I want to know what's happening!" I snapped. "Are the villagers in danger?"

Midna looked like she was planning her words carefully. "I'll tell you everything when you're done with your goodbyes. We need to move quickly, both of us are high priority targets, the sooner we leave, the safer your village is,"

My eyebrows shot up. "We're wanted? By who?"

"By Zant," Those two words made me agree with her. We needed to move.

"Then we need to leave now!" The words burned. "You said we need equipment, I have armor, and we both have magic, I say we have all need,"

"Well I say," she started. "That we need equipment," Before i could rebuke, she continued. "You may be undead, but i'm still alive. I need food, water, and warmth. And what of the sun when you have no holy water? Do you expect to be fine when your flesh catches fire?"

My eyes found their way to the ground. She made sense, and i couldn't argue. Whoever was responsible for this mess needed to die, and i had the power to make it happen. Looking up and righting my defeated posture, i responded. "Alright, we need to be quick though, the longer we stay, the more risk the village is under,"

The dark tingles of the invading magics were impossible to ignore as they were ruthlessly devoured by my flesh and mana. As we continued towards my father figure's home, i felt the changes. Fingers lengthening, claws growing, countless teeth turning into weapons. All the blood in my body was being used as fuel for the transformation, leaving my flesh hard and dry.

Midna stayed out of sight, but i felt her presence. The memory of her blood essence, even in a mindless incomplete craze, was enough to make my mouth water.

I tried to think of gruesome and ugly things to distract my hungry mind, but it did nothing. The most grisly and grim thoughts i could dig up were all of the gore of hunting, and did nothing but bring the red of blood to my mind, making the bloody fantasies more real, my hunger along with them.

* * *

Sooner than I'd like, I was on Rusl's porch. My jaw clenched and unclenched. I was under stress. On a base level, i knew i was a wolf walking into a sheeps' pen. The man, woman, and child inside were all just sustenance for the ravenous hunger that ate at me. Control. I needed control. I needed to face the unknown and come out on top. I needed courage. And i prayed for it, as i raised my hand to give the door a hard knock.

None came.

My boney knuckles rapped against the door loudly three times. Control the hunger.

The sound of shuffling clothes came from inside. Fear ate at me, paralyzing me. I couldn't move. Breathing was impossible. Whispers of insanity and hunger gnawed at the edge of my mind, overlapping into a deafening loudness.

With a sharp inhale, everything came into focus. The overused, yet well maintained latch on the door in front of me opened.

The man in front of me looked haggard. Beaten and bruised, left arm heavily bandaged and in a sling, his right grasping the hilt of a blade on his hip. Concern mixed with a spike of bloodlust entered my already occupied mind. The man's blue eyes were off, dull, but he looked at me with recognition followed by an inquiring gaze as he traced my features.

Rusl was an aging man, but he was hardy. Stout, strong, and skillful. The man knew his practices well, and those were hunting. Rusl was a hunter, of beast, but previously man. He knew how to kill and clean an animal just as well as he knew how to kill and clean a man. He was a bounty hunter in his prime, a master of the broadsword, baiting, trapping, and survival.

Recognition graced his features and he removed his hand from the broadsword at his belt. "I would welcome you in, Link, but i haven't disposed of sodden bandages,"

He knew what I was. "I'm sorry for coming," The words were oddly even in my turmoil. "I wanted to say that i'm leaving, you can see why," The man took a step outside, and motioned to the bench that had always sat on his porch. "I'd rather not get comfortable, thank you though,"

"Suit yourself," the man said, his voice unreadable. I moved out of the way so he could access the bench. With a sigh, he removed his blade from his belt and sat, wincing as the motion jostled his arm.

He glanced up at me, then back to his wounded arm. "Orc raiding party," he muttered. "Sliced up my arm pretty bad, might have severed a tendon, can't tell yet,"

A pang of regret passed through me. I should have been there to help him. "This far from the desert?"

Orcs, inhabitants of the Gerudo desert, horrible creatures, driven by a raiding based economy. Anyone passing through the Strait of Hylia was at risk of being targeted and slaughtered for coin and material wealth.

Unlike some of the abominations that lurked behind shadows and in folklore, these creatures just wanted wealth and power. Simple minded, stupid, strong.

To hear of orcs in this region was unheard of. It was a week's journey by horse, and the orcs didn't have horses, they had worgs and boars. The worgs were hunting mounts, vicious wolf like creatures. They were immensely fast, but could not run long distances. The boars were strong, but lazy unless provoked. It would have taken them weeks to reach Ordon from the desert.

"Oddly enough. They were looking for slaves. Came in like a storm on worgs, must have been a dozen, took a half dozen of our people and were gone just as fast as they came," He rubbed his face with his hand. "The kids are gone,"

I didn't want to believe what I heard. "What?"

Rusl looked up from the porch deck to meet my gaze. "The children are gone, so is Ilia"

Grim determination flooded my mind. "I'll find them,"

Rusl raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure?"

"This curse has done more than just alter my physical appearance. I was captured with Illia," My face hardened. "There's more than just orcs, I can see magic, and central Hyrule is covered in a dark cloud of it,"

Rusl took a moment to process. "Has Ilia been turned as well?"

My mind questioned for a half second. Turned into a vampire. "I don't know, I woke up alone,"

"If what you say is true, war is looming," He sighed. "Your affliction is grim, but it's more useful now than ever," Rusl's face cracked. "Find the children if you can, but if you can't, find the ones who took them and drain them dry, Link," His teeth were gritted with fury and sorrow.

I was at a loss, and just nodded. He was a mess, well hidden, but a mess. Anything little thing I could do, I would.

"Turn me," Rusl demanded after a moment of silence.

"What?" I asked, floored.

"Turn me, let me fight. I have experience, I already found worg tracks. I can track the orcs, but I'm in no condition to pick up my blade again," His eyes looked desperate.

The curse was manageable, the thirst painful, but I was still myself. Seeing my father figure in such despair resonated with me. In his position, I would want the same thing, regardless of the cost. "What about your family?"

The driven look fell from his face again. "I need to save my son. Do not patronize me, Link, I know what I'm asking for,"

Like myself, when backed into a corner, he would resort to extreme measures. Though I would likely regret it, I already knew what my answer would be. "How?"

"Just like that?" Rusl asked, eyebrows raising in surprise. For a brief second, the burn in my throat made me question my answer.

"You know what you want, and you know what it entails," My eyes dropped. "I'll turn you, but I want you to tell me what you'll tell Uli. What about Colin?"

Another tired sigh escaped his lips. He was well set in his plan. "Uli will understand. Colin? Well, I'll cross that bridge when Ij get there,"

He was right. I was conflicted, but I would support my father figure as much as I possibly could. "What do I do?"

Rusl rolled his shoulders, finding the words. "I need to drink your blood and stop my heart,"

A pang of disgust went through my being, then it went numb as I realized it must have happened to myself. I honestly was at a loss for words. There weren't a lot of words that would provide comfort, so I decided the future was the best focus.

"I will leave tonight. I originally came to ask for supplies, but here we are," An empty laugh dropped from my lips. "Holy water and covering from the sun,"

A sad smile crept onto Rusl's face. "Alright, give me a bit of time, I'll be ready in an hour. Clothing won't be an issue, I have travel gear suited for just this,"

"Alright, meet me at my house when you're ready,"

He nodded and turned without another word. I felt for the man. He was backed into a corner, all of his options were grim, but he chose the one that made sense to him. He would do as he was trained to. He would fight.

The beaten man disappeared back into his home without a word.

"Who was that?" Uli's gentle voice bled through the walls that were now far too thin.

"It was Link," Rusl's voice responded.

I didn't wait to hear more before my legs carried me away.

As soon I was out of earshot, Midna flashed into existence again, eyes set in a glare. "What do you think you're doing?" Her words were scathing.

I was taken aback. "What?"

"You're going to promise something, and then invite someone along with you?"

"He's my father in all but blood, I can't just leave him helpless," I defended.

"He can't stay with us. Turn him if you want, but he won't come with us,"

"But," I trailed off. She was right. We would cover more ground and be more inconspicuous. "You're right, we'll be caught faster with him with us,"

I started walking. My home was on the north end. As my feet fell, I pondered on why I didn't say more to Midna. This was painful, all of it. Not physically, mentally. The thought of actually coming to terms with it all is nigh impossible. Everything's happened so fast, I can hardly keep up with it all. Everything feels heavy, and I almost lose track of my footsteps as I progress. Even my hunger was dulled.

* * *

My home was vacant, as expected. Carved out of an ancient Kakori tree.I was lucky to be able to own a home of my own. It was a find, overgrown and covered in brambles, but after clearing it off, it provided a spacious living. It wasn't a wide house, but it was vertically large, five floors to it, each one small, accessed by ladders. My hand instinctively reached for the oil lamp that hung next to the door, before I realized I could still see. I closed my fingers into a fist, lowered them, and slowly let them go. It was the first normal human thing I was forced to abandon.

"So this is your home?" Midna wondered, eyes bouncing between the layers and ladders.

"Yeah, found it, and the laws around here let me keep it for my own," I said. My voice had steadily become smoother and less watery through the ambient darkness.

"Must be nice," Midna sighed, wistfully. "Zant destroyed mine,"

"All the more reason to see him gone," The words 'gut him like a pig' almost slipped out. The idea of one man behind all of this chaos made my blood boil.

"Do you need rest?" I wondered to the imp.

"No," She said. "I can go on for a while longer," The creature sat down on the edge of my table.

"Are you sure, I asked," I for one was exhausted. Though my undeath hid that fact. I couldn't feel it physically. If I was tired, who knew how exhausted a cursed imp would be.

"I'm sure, the sooner we're gone, the sooner we can find Zant," Her childlike face was a wall. I couldn't read it

"Fine, I'll collect my supplies, then I'll meet Rusl and we'll be off," I said, keeping her amber gaze with my own. "Most are on the bottom level, if you want, you can come along,"

The trap door, a hundred pound slab of wood, was the second sacrifice. Before I needed to hoist it with my full weight, now it came up easily, flipping over with a bang. I would never have to worry about the jabs of back pain if I opened it wrong ever again.

I took the ladder down, though I suspected I wouldn't need to. My claws tapped against the wood as I climbed. The basement was darker, noticeably, but not the inky blackness it should have been. Along the walls were wooden shelves, holding any number of useful items. I walked to one of the shelves and pulled a pack out, opening the flap.

I could easily hunt, even easier now, so food wouldn't be an issue, however water would be. I placed an empty water skin at the bottom. A rag, whetstone, and a bottle of polishing oil all went in.

Looking at a thin leather jerkin, I decided i needed to abandon the hylian armor if I wanted to stay low key. The leather went in. A kit of glass vials. Knife for cleaning kills. I took another look around. Each item I'd memorized the location of.

My father's blade hung from a wall, hung separate from the other objects, the blade just peeking from the scabbard. A simple hand and a half longsword, but it was well kept.

The blade went to my belt

* * *

I was so focused on packing that i didn't notice Midna's breaths and heart slow. She was asleep, small form curled into a ball on a chair.

I looked at the cursed creature. I was blind to her motives for wanting Zant dead, but at the same time, I wanted him just as dead as she seemed to. Why did I agree to go with her? I knew the answer to my question. I was desperate and depressed. I still was, but it was lessened and I could think clearly.

Two hard knocks to my door interrupted my thoughts. The imp stirred by didn't wake.

I quietly moved to the door, opening it and quickly ushered Rusl in.

Rusl waited, grim faced, shoulders squared, with a dagger at his waist. "How does this work?" I asked.

"I need to consume your blood," His lips were a firm line, his jaw set. He was sure of his actions here. I admired his strength. He knew what he needed to do for his people. I was just out for petty revenge.

I quickly rose my exposed wrist to my mouth and hesitated. I had a love hate relationship with pain. The thrill and adrenaline of it was fantastic, but I never sought it out before now. With a burst of mental suppression, I bit down hard. Blood flowed from four puncture wounds.

I extended my arm to my father figure. He rolled his shoulders and his jaw clenched and unclenched. After a hard exhale, he grabbed my chained arm, bringing the wounds to his mouth, sucking hard.

The black blood flowed into his mouth, and I felt it. It flowed down his throat, muscles convulsing to pull more and more into his body.

His eyes wound shut and he sucked violently. The sensation wasn't pleasant. I could feel his tongue on my skin. It was slimy.

Black blood ate through his stomach acid, and as it did, I lost control of it.

After four hard draws, he pulled away. I dropped my arm, chain clinking as I did.

Rusl's hand moved to his mouth, my blood still lingering on his lips, and tried to wipe it away. It just smeared across his lower face. His pupils were dilated and wide. "Now comes the hard part," He muttered, face straightening. "Never wanted to end it this way, even if it is just temporary," His hand snaked across his body and pulled the dagger from its sheath at his waist.

He flipped it into a reverse grip and pressed the tip to his chest, right above his heart. With a tense voice and shaking hands, Rusl muttered his last words in a rush. "Link, I have very strict instructions for you to follow before I awaken. There are preparations that still need to be made that I cannot handle immediately after turning, these directions are in my right pants pocket. Goodbye friend, I'll see you on the other side,"

With a grimace, the dagger slid home. Knees buckled, and Rusl's corpse fell to the floor. The bang woke Midna. My mind went white. Midna's words melted together, incomprehensible.

* * *

I was planning on having an immediate entry into Faron, but I decided against it. This is a shorter chapter, mostly because I want a chapter out and its been forever. I might give my primary duo a nudge towards Faron next chapter, but I've still got a few unresolved things to get over in Ordon. Primarily the shadow invasion, and the aftermath of Rusl's turning.

If you can't tell, Link is getting real fucked up in the head in these early chapters. I don't intend on his character to be all doom and gloom, but for now, it's hard to avoid. He's been forsaken by his gods, cast out by his country, turned into a cannibal, and just witnessed his father figure's suicide (even though it's like only half suicide).

A note on the geography. I'm taking creative licence. A good bit of it actually. This story's version of Hyrule is a lot more high fantasy (LoTR, GoT, etc) styled than the fairytale canon version, so more enphasis on political stuffs. More relevant factions, larger and changed geography. I can count more than a dozen or so ideas that I want to implement that have little to do with the zelda canon. Bandit factions, a dragon ruling over a mountain, lesser things, greater things. Time will tell on what I decisively want to add, but I have a map of my version of Hyrule. I fear that sharing too much of my lore too quickly would ruin the flow of the story, so I'm A: not going to tell people what's going on unless they ask for it, and B: not going to post the map anywhere.


End file.
